Used polyfill from the Buy Nothing group to restuff our sagging couch cushions. Couch is still looking pretty rough thanks to our cats, but at least it's comfortable now!

I save our old bed pillows for this. Really helps when the cushions are super saggy on our old sofa. I keep adding them, they sag, I add some more old pillows. Lather, rinse, repeat.

OMG. Using old pillows as stuffing instead of buying stuffing. WHY DID I NOT THINK OF THIS. I have old pillows, and I'd been holding off on buying stuffing for a craft project because I thought it was overpriced! BRILLIANT. Thank you so much!

A collegue let me know that the chef puts out the left over pastries in the afternoon when the canteen closes cause he cant sell them anymore. Talked to the chef and he said i can take what I want. So I got dinner for free! Have to check more often now.

This is a big thing rather than a small thing, but since I got the idea from a MMM thread, I must share. We went for orthodontist referral for my almost 7 year old. He (of course) proposed a Phase 1 of expander plus partial braces, likely followed by full braces when she's older. I'm really not sure I buy into this phase 1 and phase 2 business. Back in the day we didn't expand, we just pulled teeth! But I'm really not an expert in this area. Anyway, Phase 1 estimate is $3200, phase 2 probably $4500. Yikes. After reading a thread on ortho services I decided to call our local dental college. I will be able to visit them and get an evaluation in March. Services provided there are about 50% less than private practice cost...... This could be some really huge savings! Even though it means a 30 drive in traffic vs. 10 minutes to the private practice guy.

Will paint rooms in the house myself. Savings - enormous: contractors ask for $450+ per mid-size room + paint. Only expenses are paint, trays, paint rolls/brushes, beer, my weekend time. I'm good at painting walls so it will be an easy job

- no starbucks (saved $2)- brought breakfast, snacks and lunch to work (saved $14 or so)- walked to work and back- dinner will be at home tonight (another $10 or so) and oh... - since my dog is officially a service dog since October I get to bring him to work. No more $25 dog walker fees.

Today I picked up a cabbage, oranges and potatoes someone from my local Mommy Freecycle group was giving away. It was 2 bags full of perfect produce! I did the rest of my shopping at Costco where dairy is cheaper than the local grocery stores. This evening my husband and I will be taking our son to the local museum for an outing because it is Free Friday :-)

Today I picked up a cabbage, oranges and potatoes someone from my local Mommy Freecycle group was giving away. It was 2 bags full of perfect produce! I did the rest of my shopping at Costco where dairy is cheaper than the local grocery stores. This evening my husband and I will be taking our son to the local museum for an outing because it is Free Friday :-)

Having dinner tonight with a large group of friends. In order to avoid issues when it is time to pay the bill, I have already looked at the menu online, figured out my costs and have exact cash ready to go.

I have a ton of apples that I can buy cheaply from the local orchard. Getting together with friends, two of whom are spendier than I am. We agreed that I could bring dessert and spend less on the take out part of the meal. Two of my three friends are very spendy. So, I'm glad I'll be saving money there. Originally they wanted take out from a more expensive place and I convinced them otherwise, so I'm considering this a win. You know, until they determine that I'm their beer store brand soda budget friend. ;)

I've had very little food waste this month. For lunch I will be eating up a rather eclectic mix of leftovers to waste even less.

I'm thinking of doing a no spend week starting Monday. I may even be able to pull off a no spend February.

This morning I'm sending off evidence to Texas that it was NOT my car using some random toll road in Texas, which I received a bill for. Probably not even a savings considering I have to waste a stamp after going to the DMV to get documentation that my license plate has never been on a Silver F-150 (at least the DMV here rocks and there is almost no wait time). All for a $2.56 bill. Getting that erroneous bill kinda' raised my hackles though and I wanted to put it to bed.

Submitted online for a $15 rebate on my dog's meds. Much better return on that than the toll bill. :)

I have a ton of apples that I can buy cheaply from the local orchard. Getting together with friends, two of whom are spendier than I am. We agreed that I could bring dessert and spend less on the take out part of the meal. Two of my three friends are very spendy. So, I'm glad I'll be saving money there. Originally they wanted take out from a more expensive place and I convinced them otherwise, so I'm considering this a win. You know, until they determine that I'm their beer store brand soda budget friend. ;)

I've had very little food waste this month. For lunch I will be eating up a rather eclectic mix of leftovers to waste even less.

I'm thinking of doing a no spend week starting Monday. I may even be able to pull off a no spend February.

Well done!! Congrats! It's a challenge to do something fun and cheap if you have friends who are spendy. Takes a lot of organization skill I find. And yay for little food waste!

How are you planning to do a whole month without spending?? Not even milk?

I have a ton of apples that I can buy cheaply from the local orchard. Getting together with friends, two of whom are spendier than I am. We agreed that I could bring dessert and spend less on the take out part of the meal. Two of my three friends are very spendy. So, I'm glad I'll be saving money there. Originally they wanted take out from a more expensive place and I convinced them otherwise, so I'm considering this a win. You know, until they determine that I'm their beer store brand soda budget friend. ;)

I've had very little food waste this month. For lunch I will be eating up a rather eclectic mix of leftovers to waste even less.

I'm thinking of doing a no spend week starting Monday. I may even be able to pull off a no spend February.

Well done!! Congrats! It's a challenge to do something fun and cheap if you have friends who are spendy. Takes a lot of organization skill I find. And yay for little food waste!

How are you planning to do a whole month without spending?? Not even milk?

We would need milk too. I can make bread, but milk is another matter. I suppose if you use dry milk or other shelf-stable versions. Or don't use milk.

I have a ton of apples that I can buy cheaply from the local orchard. Getting together with friends, two of whom are spendier than I am. We agreed that I could bring dessert and spend less on the take out part of the meal. Two of my three friends are very spendy. So, I'm glad I'll be saving money there. Originally they wanted take out from a more expensive place and I convinced them otherwise, so I'm considering this a win. You know, until they determine that I'm their beer store brand soda budget friend. ;)

I've had very little food waste this month. For lunch I will be eating up a rather eclectic mix of leftovers to waste even less.

I'm thinking of doing a no spend week starting Monday. I may even be able to pull off a no spend February.

Well done!! Congrats! It's a challenge to do something fun and cheap if you have friends who are spendy. Takes a lot of organization skill I find. And yay for little food waste!

How are you planning to do a whole month without spending?? Not even milk?

We would need milk too. I can make bread, but milk is another matter. I suppose if you use dry milk or other shelf-stable versions. Or don't use milk.

True. I've used almond milk in the past (the refrigerated kind) and it keeps a good 3 weeks. Keep us in the loop !!!

I have a ton of apples that I can buy cheaply from the local orchard. Getting together with friends, two of whom are spendier than I am. We agreed that I could bring dessert and spend less on the take out part of the meal. Two of my three friends are very spendy. So, I'm glad I'll be saving money there. Originally they wanted take out from a more expensive place and I convinced them otherwise, so I'm considering this a win. You know, until they determine that I'm their beer store brand soda budget friend. ;)

I've had very little food waste this month. For lunch I will be eating up a rather eclectic mix of leftovers to waste even less.

I'm thinking of doing a no spend week starting Monday. I may even be able to pull off a no spend February.

Well done!! Congrats! It's a challenge to do something fun and cheap if you have friends who are spendy. Takes a lot of organization skill I find. And yay for little food waste!

How are you planning to do a whole month without spending?? Not even milk?

We would need milk too. I can make bread, but milk is another matter. I suppose if you use dry milk or other shelf-stable versions. Or don't use milk.

You can make almond milk! You could make sure you had enough almonds in stock at the beginning of the month :-). I've never tried it but it's a thing.

True. I've used almond milk in the past (the refrigerated kind) and it keeps a good 3 weeks. Keep us in the loop !!!

I have a ton of apples that I can buy cheaply from the local orchard. Getting together with friends, two of whom are spendier than I am. We agreed that I could bring dessert and spend less on the take out part of the meal. Two of my three friends are very spendy. So, I'm glad I'll be saving money there. Originally they wanted take out from a more expensive place and I convinced them otherwise, so I'm considering this a win. You know, until they determine that I'm their beer store brand soda budget friend. ;)

I've had very little food waste this month. For lunch I will be eating up a rather eclectic mix of leftovers to waste even less.

I'm thinking of doing a no spend week starting Monday. I may even be able to pull off a no spend February.

Well done!! Congrats! It's a challenge to do something fun and cheap if you have friends who are spendy. Takes a lot of organization skill I find. And yay for little food waste!

How are you planning to do a whole month without spending?? Not even milk?

We would need milk too. I can make bread, but milk is another matter. I suppose if you use dry milk or other shelf-stable versions. Or don't use milk.

You can make almond milk! You could make sure you had enough almonds in stock at the beginning of the month :-). I've never tried it but it's a thing.

True. I've used almond milk in the past (the refrigerated kind) and it keeps a good 3 weeks. Keep us in the loop !!!

So today was another stay up on the mountain all day kind of day. Unfortunately, we had to stay here - staring out at the unnatural hard water all over the ground and trees. Ice is for tea, I say. It doesn't fall from the sky.

I have a ton of apples that I can buy cheaply from the local orchard. Getting together with friends, two of whom are spendier than I am. We agreed that I could bring dessert and spend less on the take out part of the meal. Two of my three friends are very spendy. So, I'm glad I'll be saving money there. Originally they wanted take out from a more expensive place and I convinced them otherwise, so I'm considering this a win. You know, until they determine that I'm their beer store brand soda budget friend. ;)

I've had very little food waste this month. For lunch I will be eating up a rather eclectic mix of leftovers to waste even less.

I'm thinking of doing a no spend week starting Monday. I may even be able to pull off a no spend February.

Well done!! Congrats! It's a challenge to do something fun and cheap if you have friends who are spendy. Takes a lot of organization skill I find. And yay for little food waste!

How are you planning to do a whole month without spending?? Not even milk?

We would need milk too. I can make bread, but milk is another matter. I suppose if you use dry milk or other shelf-stable versions. Or don't use milk.

You can make almond milk! You could make sure you had enough almonds in stock at the beginning of the month :-). I've never tried it but it's a thing.

True. I've used almond milk in the past (the refrigerated kind) and it keeps a good 3 weeks. Keep us in the loop !!!

Making Almond milk is a bit of a hassle since one needs a cloth to strain it through. But rice milk or hemp milk is super easy and doesnt require straining. I have made hemp milk in the past and really all you need is water, hemp seeds and a blender.

So today was another stay up on the mountain all day kind of day. Unfortunately, we had to stay here - staring out at the unnatural hard water all over the ground and trees. Ice is for tea, I say. It doesn't fall from the sky.

That shit ain't right.

Heh. I'm under 2+ feet of snow after living in Phoenix for 4 years...I know the feeling.

Yesterday: Was supposed to go out for a drink with my boss after work and she ended up buying me dinner (and telling me how useful our conversation was to her). And I took home leftovers. Two free meals (and wine).

Today: Spent $0 being snowed in. Spent a lot of time relaxing, but also did some productive things: made chicken soup from scratch with leftover chicken/homemade stock/frozen veg; made a dinner salad with rest of leftover chicken and some walnuts I had in the freezer; made some pinto beans in the new Instant Pot. Also gave myself a haircut.

Now I'm going to go listen to some music I bought last weekend for $3 under what they were selling it for at the merch table, via an unlikely series of events involving running into someone at Winter Jazzfest, mentioning that I was planning to buy a CD, and he just happened to have, under his chair, an entire box of that exact avant chamber jazz album, which he was willing to sell me on the spot. I think it is safe to say the odds are against me ever saving $3 that way again.

Used polyfill from the Buy Nothing group to restuff our sagging couch cushions. Couch is still looking pretty rough thanks to our cats, but at least it's comfortable now!

I save our old bed pillows for this. Really helps when the cushions are super saggy on our old sofa. I keep adding them, they sag, I add some more old pillows. Lather, rinse, repeat.

OMG. Using old pillows as stuffing instead of buying stuffing. WHY DID I NOT THINK OF THIS. I have old pillows, and I'd been holding off on buying stuffing for a craft project because I thought it was overpriced! BRILLIANT. Thank you so much!

You're so welcome! For the sofa, I don't even take the stuffing out. I just stick the whole pillow in there. I still remember when I thought of this idea three years ago - I was so proud of myself, LOL.

Cancelled Amazon Prime. Only reason I knew it was renewing was that they tried to bill my credit card and it was out of date. If you don't want yours to autorenew go change the setting. I resent anything that autorenews without my explicit permission anyway.

I won't be consuming enough to save $99 on free shipping and don't use the other benefits as much as I thought I would.

Cancelled Amazon Prime. Only reason I knew it was renewing was that they tried to bill my credit card and it was out of date. If you don't want yours to autorenew go change the setting. I resent anything that autorenews without my explicit permission anyway.

I won't be consuming enough to save $99 on free shipping and don't use the other benefits as much as I thought I would.

I also canceled mine last year. However my dad still has Amazon Prime to watch movies, so he's added 4 family members (including me) to his membership. Effectively we're each getting Prime for $20/year.

'Praise the Sun!" - opened all the curtains in the house to take advantage if the sun and heat coming in the window for our first sunny day in a while.

Have spent the weekend organizing pantry and food storage. Will not have to buy spices or tea for a very long time. At least we know what we have now :)

Went to a "Holistic Health Care" for pets course, didn't learn too much, but identified several things I do which there seems to be a need/market for in the area. Side hustle? Will have to think on this...

Sold a juicer on Craigslist. I snagged it on clearance for $100 and flipped it for $150, so $44 made after sales tax, or $150 made as compared to keeping it for myself, which I did contemplate for a week or two.

Used leftover chicken to make chicken salad for work lunches with homemade mayo from a homegrown egg and green onions that were starting to look not so fresh. Also made up breakfasts for the week from homemade yogurt with whey protein and frozen berries I'm trying to use up.

I didn't do it, but the hens have started producing again, so hoping I don't have to buy eggs again for several months.

Slowly scanning family photos rather than paying someone to do it like I've been tempted to.

Instead of buying a new pair of clogs since mine are scuffed up and more than a few years old, I bought some black shoe polish at Walgreens for $5.99 and polished 'em up like (almost) new. They're work shoes so I feel spiffier now. Also discovered I had a bonus weather treatment spray in my shoe-stuff bag, so gave 'em a spray to weather this El Nino winter. Savings of $120.

Oh, nearly forgot - while we keep the door open to the unused (until baby #2 comes in June!) bedroom and the blinds up during the day to take advantage of the sun, started keeping it closed during the night to save on heating costs. We're on the waiting list for an energy audit through our utility, but I suspect that room needs insulation, it's much colder than other areas of the house.

Took the sludge that's left at the bottom of a solid tuna can after dumping out the tuna and fed it to the cat instead of throwing it out with the can. Happy cat, less stinky trash. With compounding, second million saved by 3016.

-Got my eyes checked for the first time in about 4 years and between benefits and money set aside in HSA, I didn't pay a thing, but got new glasses and new Rx sunglasses. Less than $5 left in FSA so that's the max I'll lose if I don't use it (can only go on eye or dental since I also have an HSA).

-Didn't drive anywhere Sunday - stayed in and made a large batch of sour cream enchiladas that were dinner, and also lunch for the rest of the week. -repaired DD's skirt (sewed)

-got pulled over by military police but avoided a citation (I swear I stopped at that four-way) and he also pointed out that my out-of-state registration expired several months ago (holy shit!). He didn't call the county police (thank you, thank you, thank you) but warned me to get it taken care of right away. (Sir, yes sir!) So he saved me an expensive ticket there. Will have to pay for new plates and registration this week, but it could have been WAY WORSE.

This weekend was a quiet, stay at home weekend for us. The snow storm Saturday gave me the incentive to putter and get things done around the house in case we lost power (not a huge deal, we do have an easy start generator). I also mended oldest son's sweatpants (third time, different hole), caught up on reading, and tidied up. After dinner, we went for a walk around the homestead and admired the snow and wind and brought wood in for a fire. A nice, cozy home weekend.

This morning I turned the heat down (after the kids left for school) and snuggled in my Selk Bag. I finished one cross stitch gift and started another. Had apple and peanut butter for lunch and my second cup of tea. I leave in a bit for the dump and Walmart before I get youngest after school.

I lowered the price on my dresser and matching night table on Craigslist and local yard sale page - I hope they sell. I don't have enough to fill the dresser (and use my closet). Plus, it would be cleansing to let it go to a new home --- ex and I had the matching set gifted to us when we got married.

Took the sludge that's left at the bottom of a solid tuna can after dumping out the tuna and fed it to the cat instead of throwing it out with the can. Happy cat, less stinky trash. With compounding, second million saved by 3016.